Indelible Impressions!!!

Session on Managing a brand over a period of time by Mr. Vishwadeep Kuila, President, GM Pens International Ltd. ( exclusive licensee of Reynolds, France in India

I’ve always wondered when I hear about the brands that attain ‘Cult’ status as to what is it that makes them live forever..Strange is the word that comes to my mind when you get to hear stories of how big corporations pump in millions and billions of currencies to keep a brand living, while some brands jus make it to that immortal state without much fanfare....Weird, at the same time interesting to know that some of these immortal brands still make eyeballs roll when ever their names are uttered...That’s the power of a brand..

This was the strong point of the session by Mr .Vishwadeep Kuila, where he gave us an insight into the efforts taken to manage brands over a period of time.

With a rich and enlightening background which comprised of stints at advertising agencies, Mr.Vishy was able to give us the real scenario of how the clients went about meticulously planning and executing the various steps involved in improving the image of a brand when it sags and raising it to a different level, preventing it from getting into a low.

Reynolds was the major topic of discussion throughout the session as it is a brand very close to his heart , something with which he has lived for some time , seeing it’s ups and downs. Right from the time Reynolds came to India, it created a flutter of sorts in the writing instruments category. It became such a rage in the market and people lapped it up, going to an extent that pens started becoming synonymous with Reynolds.

But as they say, there was a twist in the tale and the competitors came in with full flow, giving a tough fight to our protagonist. But the brave never budge, Reynolds took up the challenge and went back to the drawing board to devise new strategies to counter the attack from the antagonists. The newly revamped Reynolds took the competition by the scruff of its neck and showed the world that why it is a force to reckon with.

Some brands possess in them the factor to stand out from the clutter , that’s what makes them so special. Those are a result of a brilliant marketing strategy intertwined with exemplary usage of advertising and brand-building skills. Thanks to the complete support of brilliant media coverage ,these days every new brand wants to attain immortality. Mr. Vishy gave us mindboggling facts about brands which never used media or any other gimmick to attain the cult status...Yes, ‘ Harley Davidson’ , doesn’t it ring a bell somewhere?.People are so much in awe of this brand that, the name still evokes the deep down passion among its followers.

At the same time, the world is also a witness to brands which have been built purely due to the usage of the best marketing minds of the world...Coca-Cola and Pepsi are a testimony to this fact...

So the fact remains that managing the brands over a period of time is not only a function of marketing, advertising and brilliant media dynamics, but also an art which marketing masters like Mr.Vishy have perfected.

Some impressions make a lasting impact on the minds, their fragrance remain intact for ages to come..this was one of them...

Posted by Pradeep ,Marcom Varsity ,CBS